4859 —שאלות באגרת התשובה פרק א – "מעוות לא יוכל לתקון" ומחיקת הלאו בתשובה

B"H, 23 Marcheshvan, 5717

Brooklyn.

The young man Dovid Tzvi, may he live

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In answer to your letter, in which you ask about what the Alter Rebbe writes in Igeres HaTeshuvah, chapter 1^[1].

a) Regarding a positive mitzvah — that even if one did teshuvah, nevertheless the light is missing.

The proof is written right there, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said on the verse "What is crooked, etc."^[2] And it is understood that this refers to teshuvah that is not of the very highest level, for there is a teshuvah that helps even for this; see what is written in Tanya, end of chapter 7^[3].

b) Regarding a prohibitive mitzvah, you write that through teshuvah the existence of the transgression is not erased.

The basis for these words of yours is surprising, for it is not so. See also the clear explanation in Derech Mitzvosecha of the Tzemach Tzedek, on the mitzvah of confession and teshuvah, through which one also understands the law of the revealed Torah that confession must be spoken aloud.

With blessing,

On behalf of the Rebbe shlita

Secretary

Notes

[1] Igeres HaTeshuvah, chapter 1: Tanya, Igeres HaTeshuvah ch. 1.

[2] What is crooked (מעוות): Koheles 1:15, "What is crooked cannot be made straight." The Gemara (Chagigah 9a) applies it to one who neglected the Shema or prayer, as cited in Igeres HaTeshuvah there.

[3] Tanya, end of chapter 7: Tanya, Likkutei Amarim ch. 7 — through teshuvah out of great love, deliberate sins become like merits.

Publisher's note

Dovid Tzvi: Marzbach, Be'er Yaakov.